Charles Dodgeson's Journal: Forgeting Gegarin

The quote on the bottom of Slashdot's pages today (July 5, 2007, 0805 GMT) says

Why don't you fix your little problem... and light this candle? -- Alan Shepherd, the first man into space, Gemini program

But of course, Shepard was the second earth man in space. The first was Yuri Gagarin.

Good catch

[HomelessInLaJolla]

I saw the same quote and I admit that, since the public schooling curricula here in the US doesn't often bother recognizing significant world achievements unless they were made by Americans, I didn't remember Uri.

I think there are similar things to be said about other "firsts", particularly with respect to inventions which have significantly impacted society, which are attributed to Americans.

In today's corporate world the problem has been solved through the use of IP. In the space case, hypothetically, Ur

On a positive note...

[Shadow Wrought]

At least you now know what your journal [slashdot.org] can be good for;-)

As for Gagarin, he was highly exalted by the Soviets. In Bob Hoover's autobiography he tells a story about getting a chance to fly a Mig in Moscow. He did his signature roll after takeoff which enfuriated the Soviet officials because they felt he was trying to show up their pilots. Gagarin interceded on Hoover's behalf and was able to leave the country forthwith. Apparantly he was not only the first man in space, but he was a pretty good guy, t